When Peter Hain resigned he said that he was doing so in order to clear his name. However, if the response from the Electoral Commission to a Hain-related FoI request is anything to go then it's not looking good for him.Back in Jaunary in the Daily Telegraph, Iain Dale wrote that the Electoral Commission had confirmed to him that it wrote to Peter Hain when his deputy leadership campaign began to outline his obligations and duties relating to the declaration of donations.
Since then a FoI request has been submitted to the Commission requesting a copy of that letter. However, the Commission has responded saying that the letter is now formally part of the Police investigation that is currently going on, and they also refer in their response to "detailed background material" that has been handed over to the Police.
The Commission also say that releasing the letter might cause "prejudicial media speculation" which seems to suggest that it is a key part of the case against Hain and they don't want to blow it by publishing the letter.
Like I say, it doesn't sound good for Hain.
5 comments:
Dear old Dizzy you do amuse me so. You take twattery to a new level.
I can't deny it's a skill I excel at. Why only last week I was working on the Twatty Guide to Twats of the Twatty World.
I think it's pretty certain that the letter was substantially the same as the one sent to the Liberal Democrat leadership candidates (see my posting).
I so hope so I really do!!.
I emailed the EC over this so I hope I contributed in some small way to his demise.
Bonjour, Messieurs Dizzy et Mitch
Tres interessants - keep up the Good Work [les bons travails]
It is puzzling that the Electoral Commission has declined to supply Mr Hain's letter
It is bound to come out, sooner or later
It can hardly be necessary to keep in reserve, until Mr Hain can be interviewed about it - after all, Mr Hain wrote it [or at least signed it] and so he cannot be surprised by its contents
In the event of any contested prosecution, publishing it will hardly prejudice a potential Jury, to whom it would have to be supplied, along with Mr Hain's helpful explanation
Who is the Electoral Commission to control what we, the People, are to be allowed to see or not see
Our American friends can perhaps tell us if the E/C is shewing the same spirit as President Lincoln, when suspending Habeus Corpus & other Civil Liberties ---- but at least Mr Lincoln was understandably worried about a Civil War (admittedly triggered by his Election to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue)
Je reste le vestre servant obedient etc
G Eagle
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